The Quatermass Book Reading Blog TP1: Regenerated...

[Quatermass]

BOOK 15

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist, volume 1: Duelist Kingdom by Kazuki Takahashi

Yu-Gi-Oh! became known to Western audiences in the form of an anime about a card game, but the first seven volumes of the original manga was about games in general. After all, the title means King of Games in Japanese. The card game known as Duel Monsters did play a role in the earlier volumes of the manga, but generally, it had the hallmarks of a ‘game of the week’ story, with only a few, short story arcs. But now, with the eighth volume, dubbed the first volume of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist in English, we come to the overarching stories that would become part of the better known anime series. Cheesy though it was, it wasn’t too bad, and the manga is more darker than the anime. Whether it’s any good, though, remains to be seen…

As Duel Monsters rises in popularity, Yugi and his friends witness the end of a tournament, and the announcement of a new one by Duel Monster’s creator, Maximillion J Pegasus. But Pegasus wants a reluctant Yugi to come to his Duelist Kingdom tournament, and sets up a Shadow Game that ends with Yugi’s defeat, and his grandfather’s soul trapped in a videotape. His friend, Jonouchi, also decides to head to Duelist Kingdom, to win money for his sister’s upcoming operation. But the two friends, joined by Anzu, Honda, and Bakura, have a hard time on their hands winning the tournament. Pegasus has a Millennium Item, the Millennium Eye, allowing him to predict his opponent’s moves. And Yugi and Jonouchi are up against some of the most skilled card duelists of all time, from the champion Insector Haga, to the seductive Mai Kujaku…

One of the faults I had found with the series to date, before I started this one, was that it was very much a ‘game of the week’ (like a monster of the week in, say, series like Doctor Who), which is very much a double-edged sword. Here, it has transmuted to opponent of the week, so to speak, which again is a double-edged sword. The story hasn’t quite grabbed me as much as I had hoped, but nonetheless, there are some intriguing differences in the story between this manga and its adaptation that retain my interest, and it’s still entertaining. Even the translated dialogue here lacks some of the cheesier aspects of 4Kids’ dub, much to its improvement.

The mains are pretty much the same as usual, though Jonouchi (aka Joey Wheeler from the English version of the anime) gets some development with the discussion about his sister. However, the differences in character for the newcomers are interesting. Certainly Insector Haga (aka Weevil Underwood) is far less overtly malevolent at first, making his change in demeanour all the more shocking, and Pegasus, far from being a monolithic, if somewhat camp villain, has a bit more humour and humanity, even as he plays ruthlessly against Yugi in their first duel, thus being more interesting in the process.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelist is not for everyone, but to fans of the series, it might prove interesting, if only to see the differences from the anime. And it’s certainly enjoyable and enthralling enough to be a suitable timekiller, if you’re into this sort of manga.


***½

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 16

Dr Grordbort’s Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory by Greg Broadmore

Although it had existed for some time, Weta Workshop has leapt to fame when doing work for Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. However, Weta does more than work on the movies. They also create collectors’ items, including the Dr Grordbort line of mock-up rayguns, beautifully detailed, and an homage to old-fashioned science fiction, as well as having a satirical edge. They published a catalogue of these fictional rayguns in a small book, and it ought to be entertaining, at least…

Tired of not feeling like a real man? Need some edge while fighting the Moon Men? Need to pack for a hunting expedition to Venus? Then Dr Grordbort is your man. From the latest aether oscillators to the very best in protective wear, from automated servants to the ultimate conveyances, the Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory will have what you need…

I have to confess that this is quite a funny book. Written very tongue-in-cheek, the pseudo-scientific details are sure to baffle and amuse, and the attention to detail, as ridiculous and pseudo-scientific as it is, is amazing. And the satire, for the most part, works. There’s significant criticism of jingoism, particularly of the British Empire kind, of the White Man’s Burden stereotype and colonialism, and for the most part, it works well.

There are times, though, when the humour is too mean spirited, particularly during the Lord Cockswain story at the end, for all its excellent satire of Boy’s Own-style adventures. And for all the information packed into it, I actually found this book too short, especially considering the amount of money I spent on it. I was hoping, if not for something the size of a telephone directory, then something maybe twice as long as what I had. As it was, I was left wanting more, if only for a few faux-order forms, and maybe a discourse on how more of these weapons are supposed to work.

Even so, Dr Grordbort’s Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory was entertaining and amusing enough, although its title is bloody hard to spell (or say, for that matter). A lovely bit of satire and humour disguised as a mock-catalogue of rayguns.


***½

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 17

DRRR!! (Durarara!!), volume 2 by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi

After the mildly disappointing but still intriguing first instalment of Durarara!!, I still wanted to give the series another try. After all, there was enough that ensured that it was interesting. It was just the lack of the story threads tying together that hampered my enjoyment. But now, I have read the second instalment. I could only hope that I found it better…

As modern day dullahan Celty Sturluson ponders her quest to find her missing head, a surviving member of a gang attacked by Celty is interrogated by members of the Dollars Gang, who are trying to find out who is behind the recent kidnappings. But it is Yagiri Pharmaceuticals who is behind them, and its Chief Namie Yagiri and her brother Seiji hide dark secrets of their own. While trying to defend classmate Anri Sonohara, Mikado Ryugamine gets enmeshed in a brutal brawl between informant Izaya Orihara and hot-tempered Shizuo Heiwajima. But his worries aren’t over even if he escapes that, for Mikado’s path is destined to cross with Celty’s once more, in a frightening way…

This instalment of Durarara!! is more plot intensive, and frankly, a lot less confusing than the previous volume. More exposition is given, and finally, we have some degree of understanding of what the hell is going on. Of course, a lot is still left up in the air, and more than one subplot is highly disturbing, and more than one sequence will have you either making disgusted noises, or else glad you don’t let anything near your eyes. But it was certainly better than the previous volume, I have to say.

Part of the appeal of Durarara!! are the colourful characters, who run the gamut from the amusing to the highly disturbing. Certainly, the latter would include Namie Yagiri and her brother Seiji, who both have disturbing, albeit divergent, romantic ideals. Celty falls into the former category, despite being a dullahan and missing her head, as she is rather endearing. Unfortunately, I can’t say much about the other characters here, although there’s a good fight between Izaya and Shizuo, the latter of whom makes his proper debut after being alluded to.

I have to confess, I am enjoying Durarara!! With its second volume, it’s now beginning to show more promise than it did before…


****

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 18

Paprika by Yasutaka Tsutsui, translated by Andrew Driver

On occasion, it’s my experiences with other media that bring me to books. In this case, an anime movie that had intrigued me, Satoshi Kon’s Paprika, brought me to the book that it was adapted from. While quite different in many respects to the film, I nonetheless wanted to give the book a go…

The cool and collected Doctor Atsuko Chiba and her childish but brilliant colleague Doctor Kosaku Tokita have developed machines that allow psychotherapists to examine the dreamscapes of their patients, and treat them accordingly. Although designed for schizophrenics, in the past, they had been used for illicit but effective psychotherapy in general, with Chiba adopting the persona of Paprika, a young dream detective and psychoanalyst. However, there are those who oppose this technology. Doctor Inui and his protégé and lover Doctor Osanai are both jealous of Chiba and Tokita, as well as wary of the new technology, and begin to use it to discredit the two scientists. But the new technology of the DC Mini has its own dangers, and as a war breaks out between those for and against it, with dreams as their battlefield and weapons, it may yet have a frightening and unexpected impact on reality…

Okay, so, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way. I dunno whether it’s the personal prejudices of the author or something that is unfortunate and unintentional, but this book has quite a strong homophobic slant. In addition, there are some parts that, while possibly a product of Japanese culture, nonetheless seem repugnant to a Western reader. Finally, I have to confess to having some sympathy with the arguments of Inui and Osanai, even if their characters are also quite repulsive, unfortunately being the source of the homophobic slant of the book.

But that should not detract greatly from what is quite an interesting and intelligent book. The characters are varied and interesting, the dream sequences are suitably surreal, and the book raises a number of interesting and pertinent questions about emergent technology and dreams. I couldn’t help but enjoy the book, despite the bad parts.

Overall, despite some rather repugnant elements, Paprika nonetheless was an intelligent bit of entertainment. I certainly enjoyed it, and maybe, if you give it a shot, you may too…

****

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 19

DRRR!! (Durarara!!), volume 3 by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi

Well, well, well. My well of pithy comments has dried up. So, without further ado, let’s get straight onto a review of the third volume of Durarara!!...

Mikado Ryugamine moved to Ikebukuro to see the extraordinary, but even he didn’t expect to be pursued by dullahan Celty Sturluson, who believes that the girl he is protecting has had Celty’s head grafted onto a new body. However, the mysterious girl has a link to the deranged Namie Yagiri, whose incestuous obsession with her brother means that she will go to any lengths to keep him under her control. But after an encounter with both Celty and amoral informant Izaya Orihara, and then a near-kidnapping experience from Namie’s hired goons, it’s time for Mikado to reveal something. For in a town full of secrets, he perhaps hides one of the biggest of them all…

I think after the revelations in the previous volume, the story has settled down somewhat, albeit with some interesting revelations. It’s not quite at the same level of the previous volume, though there are plenty of mysteries and meditations. However, it’s the final revelation of the volume that really throws a massive punch, and there’s even some nice humour too.

Said revelation involves supposed protagonist Mikado, who, finally, is revealed to have a major secret of his own, putting things into a whole new light. The depths of Namie’s insanity are also revealed, making her brother’s own problems pale by comparison. And Celty gets some intriguing insights herself.

Overall, while not quite at the level of the previous volume, I’m still enjoying Durarara!! And the final volume, of this storyline at least, isn’t far away…


***½

 

[Quatermass]

I've omitted the First and Last Words on the last few reviews, so forgive me for resuming them, or forgetting them. Whatever...


BOOK 20

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

As stated before, I’m not fond of mysteries. However, I do try to branch out, and it’s about time that I try another Christie, and indeed, another Hercule Poirot novel. So I had to consider which one to try, having already looked at Poirot’s final case. Which was his most famous, then? Why, none other than Murder on the Orient Express…

Required to return to England after a case abroad, Hercule Poirot is approached in Istanbul by Ratchett, an American businessman whom Poirot doesn’t like the look of. Poirot refuses Ratchett’s request for protection against an unknown foe, as they both travel on the Orient Express. But then, Ratchett is murdered. And his true identity is none other than Cassetti, a kidnapper whose most infamous deed, the death of Daisy Armstrong, forced him to flee America. Soon, Poirot learns that more than one person has a connection to the Armstrong kidnapping, but virtually everyone has an alibi. Poirot has his work cut out for him, assuming the murderer doesn’t strike again…

While my style of reading is not very conducive to mysteries, I did manage to catch many of the clues. Admittedly, I did also know the quite excellent ending, which helped. I have to confess, this was a somewhat more enjoyable experience than Curtain, though on the other hand, it does lack a certain amount of Curtain’s novelty in its premise, and is also far more old-fashioned, with even some national stereotypes that don’t exactly hold water nowadays. So it does balance out.

I find Poirot distinctly more likeable here than in Curtain. However, I can’t say that many of the characters interest me. They all seem like archetypes and stereotypes, some mildly interesting, the others quite easily forgettable.

Even so, I did enjoy Murder on the Orient Express. Not greatly, but even so, it was a pleasure to read one of the best mystery novels of all time…


***½

FIRST WORDS: It was five o’clock on a winter’s morning in Syria.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 21

DRRR!! (Durarara!!), volume 4 by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi

Well, now I have finally come to the final volume, of this story arc at least, of the Durarara!! manga. But would I be satisfied? Or would it crash and burn?

Mikado’s secret is out. By a series of events and circumstances, he is the unwitting founder of the Dollars gang, and its leader, and he is using them to help him get away from the insane Namie. But latter-day dullahan Celty isn’t standing by and waiting for things to pan out. Her fight with the Yagiri Pharmaceuticals goons and a new encounter with the girl who seems to have her head leads her to a confrontation with someone she thought she knew. The truth will out, but in the end, who will love and be loved? What is truth, and what are lies? And who are the puppets, and who are really pulling the strings?

Overall, despite the sheer number of revelations here, I am left a little dissatisfied. Sure, more answers than questions are left at the end of this volume, and there’s some happy endings and good story. But I am left wanting too much, and I feel like things wrapped up just a touch too soon. Sure, there’s some promise for the future, but I won’t be able to get that soon.

The characters are fine, with Mikado getting some development, given the revelation that he is behind the Dollars, albeit by planting an urban legend. Celty and Shinra also get some development, with the penultimate chapter being devoted to them. However, of the remaining characters, the only one that really interests me is Izaya Orihara, who actually reveals more of his motives, presumably setting things up for later volumes.

Overall, the fourth volume of Durarara!! was a good, but not excellent ending to the series, or at least to this particular story arc. I just wish it was a touch better…


***½

FIRST WORDS: Why are all these people staring at me!?

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 22

Doctor Who: The Sands of Time by Justin Richards

Last year, BBC Books re-released a bunch of Doctor Who novels, one from each Doctor, to coincide with the 50th anniversary. This year, they re-released stories that had a relation to one of the classic monsters. The Sands of Time was one of them, with the Osirans and their robot mummies being the theme monsters, given that it was a sequel to the wonderful story Pyramids of Mars. But would it be a good choice to read? After all, I didn’t think much of the previous Justin Richards-penned story I read, Plague of the Cybermen…

Landing in Victorian times in the British Museum, the Doctor, Tegan and Nyssa soon find themselves embroiled in one of their darkest adventures. Nyssa is kidnapped, and the Doctor and Tegan find themselves invited to a mummy-unwrapping party at the house of Lord Kenilworth, a man who seems to have met them before. There, a millennia-old mummy is revealed to be none other than a comatose Nyssa, sending the Doctor, Tegan, and Kenilworth’s butler Atkins on a journey across the world, and across time. From Ancient Egypt, all the way to modern day London, the Doctor races against time to stop the mysterious Sadan Rassul. For Rassul is intent on reviving Nepthys, a renegade Osiran who was even more powerful than her genocidal brother and co-conspirator, Sutekh, and no force in the universe might be able to stop her from destroying all life…

In terms of storyline, The Sands of Time kicks things up a notch from Pyramids of Mars. Sure, it doesn’t quite reach the potential prose offers it, a sequel wasn’t exactly necessary, the villain’s plots took time to make sense, and the time travel antics will doubtless be confusing to many. But the time travel elements actually work well, slotting together nicely, and this feels more like a mummy horror movie than Pyramids of Mars did.

Unfortunately, one of the side effects of a complex, time-travel based story with multiple time settings is that not all characters get development. Sure, the Doctor and Tegan get quite a bit, as does Lord Kenilworth and his butler Atkins. But I wish more of the sympathetic side of Sadan Rassul was further developed, and the characters in the modern day sequence really get it in the shorts. And one of the big draws of Pyramids of Mars was the characterisation of its villain, Sutekh. Nepthys, by comparison, gets very little, and is something of a more generic threat by comparison.

Even so, these are relatively minor quibbles with an excellent Doctor Who novel. Not perfect, but an excellent read that you will enjoy.

****½

FIRST WORDS: The woman was still alive as unnatural thunder cracked across the sky.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 23

The Invisibles, volume 1: Say You Want a Revolution by Grant Morrison et al

I’ve already had one encounter with the brain-burning comic-book writing of Grant Morrison. Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth was intelligently written, but bad for the brain. But, being a masochistic sort of guy, I decided to give one of his original series a go. The Invisibles is sometimes cited as being an inspiration for The Matrix, but it is ultimately a very different tale…

Meet Dane McGowan, a Liverpudlian teen with an anti-authoritarian streak a mile wide. After burning down his school, he is sent to Harmony House, a facility designed to force conformity into its inmates. But there, he discovers that there’s more to Harmony House than mere discipline. Rescued from agents of an eldritch power by bizarre assassin King Mob, the leader of the local cell of the Invisibles, Dane finds himself being recruited and trained to fight a bizarre war between the Invisibles, and mysterious beings who have helped humanity imprison itself. The battlegrounds are across time and space, reality and dreams, the mind and the body, with the stakes being as high as the fate of humanity itself…

Grant Morrison writes intelligently. Let no doubt be raised about that. The Invisibles is an extremely intelligent and intriguing and engrossing work, if a somewhat enigmatic one. This in itself would be fine, if it weren’t for the relentless grotesqueries on display, which are more than a little off-putting. And the story reads like a bad acid trip, albeit one that is followable. It’s still an interesting story, I just wish that it wasn’t so morbid and gruesome, as that’s considerably off-putting.

I found it hard to like Dane McGowan, aka Jack Frost, at first, though he gets better as the series progresses, being the closest to a relatively sane character. Of the main Invisibles, I have to say that transsexual Lord Fanny and Boy are most intriguing, with King Mob seeming more like Spider Jerusalem as a freedom fighter than a rogue journalist. But Morrison does fill out a lot of interesting, and often grotesque characters.

Overall, I thought The Invisibles was an extremely intelligent work marred mostly by Morrison’s morbid predisposition with the grotesque and the gruesome. Maybe it might improve, but I’m not sure whether I want to continue…

***

FIRST WORDS: And so we return and begin again.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 24

Doctor Who: Shroud of Sorrow by Tommy Donbavand

Like Plague of the Cybermen, this Doctor Who book, Shroud of Sorrow, was released last year, presumably to coincide with the 50th anniversary. Appropriately, although it has no standard monster, it nonetheless takes place mostly on the 23rd of November, 1963. But would it work? Well, here goes…

23rd of November, 1963, and the world is in mourning after the assassination of John F Kennedy. People across Dallas, and across the world, are seeing the faces of loved ones, berating them and feeding off their sorrow. The Doctor and Clara, soon after helping an archaeological expedition on Venofax, feel the effects, and come to Earth. Along with FBI agent Warren Skeet and reporter Mae Callon, the Doctor and Clara soon finds that the Earth has become the target of the Shroud, an alien threat that feeds off sorrow. Soon, the Doctor and his allies find themselves dealing with a threat that has already fed off one world, and may not be stopped from consuming Earth…

As stories go, this is an average, albeit interesting one. The story is a fairly average romp, although the Shroud as well as the effects it left behind is a good concept (if not exactly original: the Scourge from Paul Cornell’s audio drama The Shadow of the Scourge had a not dissimilar nature). It’s also quite enjoyable. Unfortunately, I found the ending somewhat confusing and rushed, and I’m not sure exactly how they stopped the Shroud.

The Doctor and Clara get some good characterisation, especially the former as he uses his memories to fight off the Shroud. Warren Skeet and Mae Callon are also good, as is Captain Keating and the Clowns of Semtis. One real bum note is the rabid General West, though, who seems like a ridiculous stereotype out of some bad thriller, and the Shroud, for being a good concept, nonetheless doesn’t do it for me as a character.

Overall, Shroud of Sorrow was a fairly average Doctor Who story. I just wish it was a touch better…

***½

FIRST WORDS: PC Reg Cranfield turned the corner into Totter’s Lane, the beam of his torch slicing through the fog.

LAST WORDS: ‘Mum?’

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 25

The Invisibles, volume 2: Apocalipstick by Grant Morrison et al

I must be some kind of masochist. After all, I am coming back to the brain-bruising menagerie that is The Invisibles despite what I thought of the first volume. Even so, despite everything, the story was intriguing enough for me to want to continue with it. But would I be rewarded for my persistence with pain, or enjoyment?

Dane McGowan, aka Invisibles member Jack Frost, has had enough. After his first mission with them cost him a finger, he flees the Invisibles, and their enemies, barely escaping with his life. But King Mob and his cell are not the only Invisibles out there. While Jim Crow works against some corrupt executives with some very dark magics, and an undercover Invisible working under Sir Miles Delacourt, one of the biggest enemy agents, questions his loyalties, events are on the move. During the search for Dane McGowan, Lord Fanny is attacked, sending the transsexual shaman on a retrospective journey through Lord Fanny’s life. But McGowan doesn’t want to be found, not by the Invisibles, and not by their adversaries…

As mentioned previously, Grant Morrison is an extremely intelligent writer, but one who seems to be preoccupied with the morbid and the highly disturbing. I have to confess to being engrossed by the story, but also repulsed by what is going on. This is certainly no story for the weak of heart and/or stomach.

Lord Fanny gets the focus for much of the volume with her (or his, I’m not sure what the appropriate pronoun is) life story, which is interesting, if extremely grotesque (mostly from both the vision quest Fanny underwent as a child, as well as what degradations Lord Fanny underwent during life). However, there seems to be a focus on many other characters, with an enemy soldier from the first volume getting a chapter, in a style that seems reminiscent of the themes of Peter Chung’s pilot episode of Aeon Flux. Also, there is a chapter on Sutton, a servant in the house of Sir Miles Delacourt, who himself seems like an intriguing, if brutish, villain.

The Invisibles is certainly not for those with weak stomachs and the easily repulsed. However, it remains an intelligent but extremely morbid series that has nonetheless engrossed me…


***

FIRST WORDS: Philadelphia-- September 1992.

LAST WORDS: Disobedience.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 26

The Unwritten, volume 8: Orpheus in the Underworld by Mike Carey and Peter Gross

One graphic novel series that I have enjoyed over the past few years or so was The Unwritten, a series about the nature of fiction and imagination, and the effects it had on a single man: Tom Taylor. The story, I had thought, had a natural climax a couple of volumes ago, but kept going. The previous volume, The Wound, didn’t do it for me as much as previous volumes had, but perhaps that would change with the next volume…

Leviathan, the entity that is the source of all stories in the world, is bleeding, even dying. And things of its ilk, even less benign than it, are looking for a way to supplant the collective imagination of humanity. In Australia, Tom Taylor receives a message from police officer Didge Patterson that his lover, Lizzie Hexam, is still alive. Travelling once more into the now ruined world of fiction, Taylor begins a journey that will take him into Hades, and into unexpected confrontations. Meanwhile, Richie Savoy and Didge confront a zombie apocalypse born from creatures looking to usurp the dying Leviathan. Can Taylor save anyone from Hades, never mind saving Leviathan? Or is humanity’s imagination about to die, or change for the worse?

After the disappointments of the previous volume, this one is back on form, more or less. I’m still bemused at The Unwritten’s creator’s view of Brisbane and Australia, but the story seems to be getting somewhere once more, with more than a few surprises, welcome for the most part. There’s some rather disturbing elements, including what has happened to Elizabeth Bennett post-Wounding, but otherwise, it’s a bloody good story. And there’s a twist that will appeal to fans of another series by Vertigo Comics…

We get more development of Tom, as well as Richie, who is redeemed slightly from the rather bad swerve his character took at the end of the previous volume. We also get to revisit more than a few characters who died in the series, being brought back for more development. Overall, that area worked out better.

While not perfect, this volume of The Unwritten was a welcome rise in quality over the previous volume. Here’s to the next one…

****


FIRST WORDS: When I tell it, it sounds like a weird dream.

LAST WORDS: --do we have a Plan B?

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 27

The Invisibles, volume 3: Entropy in the UK by Grant Morrison et al

My masochism must know few bounds if I come back to The Invisibles time and time again. But maybe, just maybe, it might be third time lucky. But would that old adage be merely another cliché, or else actually prove to be a truism in this case?

King Mob and Lord Fanny have been captured by the enemy, and Sir Miles Delacourt is determined to prise every secret out of King Mob’s mind. Indeed, his masters demand it. And King Mob may just be acquiescing to their methods. Dane McGowan, aka Jack Frost, returned to Liverpool and dodging both enemy agents and the Invisibles, soon learns why he has been chosen for his mission in life, and accepts his place in the Invisibles. Together with Boy, Jim Crow, Ragged Robin and Jack’s teacher and undercover Invisible Brian Malcolm, they launch a raid on the enemy lair to save their comrades. But has King Mob already betrayed his secrets to the enemy, or does he have something up his sleeve? Can Jack Frost face down the power of the King of All Tears, one of the most powerful Archons? And will anyone be able to get out of this confrontation alive?

Ah, finally. Now this series lives up to its potential with less of that morbid preoccupation with grotesqueries that plagued the previous two volumes. Sure, it still reads like a bad acid trip combined with a conspiracy theorist’s encyclopaedia, there’s more than a few clichéd references to both The Prisoner and Nineteen Eighty-Four, and there’s still that morbid air, but that’s not the point. It’s a bloody good yarn, and a damn sight better proclamation of Grant Morrison’s strengths as a comic writer. Not only that, but I now have the feeling that the story is actually getting somewhere.

Finally, we get some even development for almost all the characters here. We get a surrealistic look into King Mob’s mind and past, as well as a more grounded look at the pasts of Boy and Dane ‘Jack Frost’ McGowan, with the latter going through the most character development of the volume. We even get a tragic look at an incidental character who becomes a victim of the King of All Tears in a well-written and brutal sequence, as well as some sympathy for one of the villains.

Overall, the third volume of The Invisibles showed a quantum leap in quality and enjoyment compared to the previous volumes, and now, I’m well and truly hooked…

****½

FIRST WORDS: 1: I TRADED MY VIRGINITY FOR VICE!

LAST WORDS: So must we.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 28

At Bertram’s Hotel by Agatha Christie


I have to confess to liking Miss Marple more as a character than Poirot out of Agatha Christie’s characters. Maybe there’s something more endearing about the character, of a little old lady who unobtrusively but sharply observes and deduces. So my next foray into Christie is my third Marple book: At Bertram’s Hotel…

Bertram’s Hotel, a hotel that specialises in old-fashioned service, a trip down Nostalgia Drive. Miss Marple is staying there for a brief holiday, enjoying the memories of a previous visit, as well as observing her fellow guests, from vivacious heiress Elvira Blake to famous racer and womaniser Ladislaus Malinowski. But the eccentric and muddle-headed priest Canon Pennyfather goes missing. What has happened to Pennyfather? Why is Elvira Blake making enquiries about her inheritance? And what links Bertram’s Hotel to acts of crime committed across the country?

Although a murder mystery towards the end, At Bertram’s Hotel is not primarily a murder mystery. Indeed, most of the story revolves around the titular hotel’s links to a crime racket, as well as the disappearance of Canon Pennyfather, making it a touch more refreshing a mystery. It also hearkens to nostalgia and a bygone age, and Christie’s writing has clearly come a long way in the time between Murder on the Orient Express, and this story. Although I got confused by elements of the ending, I nonetheless enjoyed the story more than many others.

Marple, as always, is a delight to read, and she remains my personal favourite of the Christie-penned sleuths. Chief Inspector Fred ‘Father’ Davy is also interesting, as is the eccentric and befuddled Pennyfather, as well as Elvira. I can’t say the other characters truly grab me, though.

Overall, I enjoyed At Bertram’s Hotel. Intriguing, nice, but slightly confusing.


****

FIRST WORDS: In the heart of the West End, there are many quiet pockets, unknown to almost all but taxi drivers who traverse them with expert knowledge, and arrive triumphantly thereby at Park Lane, Berkeley Square or South Audley Street.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 29

The Invisibles, volume 4: Bloody Hell in America by Grant Morrison et al

Having had my faith in The Invisibles paid off in the stellar third volume, I knew I should come back to it again. The fourth graphic novel volume picks up a year after the previous one left off. The thing is, would the series continue at the high standard it has managed to reach?

A year after the events at the House of Fun, the Invisibles have left for New York for a break. Ragged Robin and King Mob have become lovers, staying at the luxurious mansion of fellow Invisible and millionaire Mason Lang, while Boy, Lord Fanny, and Jack Frost are seeing the sights. But soon, Jolly Roger, lesbian head of an Invisible cell, comes calling. Her cell had recently launched a disastrous raid on Dulce Airbase in New Mexico, the infamous Area 51, where she found proof of a vaccine for HIV. Unfortunately, Roger has been compromised by Outer Church agent Mr Quimper, whose powers of mind control are extraordinary, and the Invisibles are walking into a trap…

After the grotesqueries on display in the first couple of volumes, and the leap in quality for the third, this volume comes as a slight letdown. Although the intelligent writing is still on display, unfortunately, this story is more like an action romp, and the thoughtful elements are not in as much abundance as they were previously. In short, it was more like a standard action film, albeit with bizarre slants.

Even so, I have to confess to liking the new character dynamics, and how they evolved from previous volumes. The relationship between Ragged Robin and King Mob is unexpected, but more than plausible, and Jack is growing into a more sympathetic character. Mr Quimper seems okay as a villain, given his abilities, but underutilised, while Jolly Roger basically seems like a stereotypical butch lesbian with guns.

Overall, after the brilliance of the third volume, the fourth volume of The Invisibles was a bit of a letdown, I’m afraid. However, I’m still hooked, and intend to continue…

***½

FIRST WORDS: It’s the end of the word as we know it.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 30

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History by Andrew Farago

Long before I became obsessed with Doctor Who, I was obsessed with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Mostly, this was due to the famous cartoon series, though I did become aware of the original comic series. So when I found this book at the library, I was intrigued enough to borrow it…

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History is a look at the story behind one of the most famous franchises of all time. From its humble beginnings as a cult comic created by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman, all the way to the colossal franchise it is today, this book looks at this history. What’s more, it has little bonus inserts, including a reprint of the very first comic of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and other intriguing miscellany, including a sneak peek at the upcoming Michael Bay film...

Let me get the bad stuff out of the way. This book left me wanting more, although funnily enough, I’m not even certain there is more that this book could have covered, save for perhaps beefing up some areas covered. I’m not sure whether I could call it ultimate or definitive, but it certainly is exhaustive. The removable inserts sometimes get in the way of the reading, and while they are designed to be removable, I do feel that this is something of a silly gimmick. And like many books of its type, it’s a triumph of style over substance.

And yet, it was enjoyable. What information it gave was interesting and intriguing, if slightly thin on the ground, and the presentation of the book is almost beyond reproach, my concerns about the inserts notwithstanding. It’s an enjoyable insight into one of the biggest cornerstones of modern pop culture, as well as its creators, Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I was left wanting somewhat more, admittedly, but it was good enough for what it is…


****

FIRST WORDS: “We are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”

LAST WORDS: “I’ll always be the co-creator of the Turtles, always be the guy who stayed with them for their first twenty-five years, and I am happy and proud that that is so.”

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 31

The Invisibles, volume 5: Counting to None by Grant Morrison et al

So, any pithy remarks to make about The Invisibles before I start on the fifth volume? No? Well, on we go, into the mouth of madness…

Millionaire Invisible Mason Lang has many research departments under him, one of which seems to be on the verge of creating a time machine, something that leads Ragged Robin to make a revelation about her past, and the future of the world. Meanwhile, Lord Fanny and Jack Frost make a crusade to find the powerful Hand of Glory, and King Mob travels into the past via psychic projection to meet an Invisibles cell in the Twenties. But it may all be for naught, for Boy has a secret that threatens the cause of the Invisibles, a secret that may cause her to betray them…

Okay, I have to admit it. In this volume, the intelligent writing comes back, along with a small degree of the grotesqueness that plagued earlier volumes. However, it also becomes quite a bit more confusing and harder to follow. I did manage to decipher it in the end, but even so, it was more effort than I cared to put in.

Character development is better than the actual story. We get revelations about Ragged Robin’s past in the future (she’s a time traveller, which automatically complicates explanations), as well as the activities of the Invisibles in the Twenties. We also have King Mob beginning to question his own moral compass, coming to a head in the final story arc, where we also have Boy go through absolute hell.

Overall, it was another disappointing, but not actually bad volume for The Invisibles. I just hope it picks up as it goes towards the end…

***½

FIRST WORDS: Japan: Now.

LAST WORDS: Nice and smooth.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 32

DVD Extras Include: Murder by Nev Fountain

One of my first reviews for this particular book-reading thread was Nev Fountain’s experimental Mervyn Stone book, the Twitterature story called The Pen is Mightier than the Nerd. Having listened to the audio drama, the podcast mystery, and the first and third novels in the series, it’s about time that I come to the last Mervyn Stone story for me to read, DVD Extras Include: Murder. But have I saved the rest until last? Or would this kill my enthusiasm for the series?

A year after the murders at Convix 15, Mervyn Stone has been invited to record a DVD commentary for an episode of Vixens from the Void. But not just any episode: the controversial episode called The Burning Time, causing outrage amongst fundamentalists and launching the career of Marcus Spicer, now a very rich and obnoxious arch-atheist. Unfortunately, Mervyn Stone has reason to resent Spicer beyond Spicer being unpleasant and opinionated: Stone had been forced to rewrite Spicer’s work at the last minute, and Spicer got all the credit. But during the commentary recording, Spicer drops dead after drinking from a water bottle that hadn’t been tampered with, and yet, he was poisoned with cyanide. The fundamentalist group known as the Godbotherers have proclaimed it to be a miracle, an act of God. But Mervyn Stone isn’t so sure. Neither is Spicer’s wife and Mervyn’s one time squeeze, Cheryl. And soon, Mervyn Stone will be drawn into a mystery that involves a mildly unhinged policewoman fan, a fundamentalist who bakes the face of Jesus into cookies, and more than one has-been actor. And someone is not only willing to kill, but more than willing to allow Mervyn to take the fall…

As mentioned before, I’m not really good with murder-mysteries. One of the reasons why I enjoyed Mervyn Stone is that the story built around the mystery is entertaining enough nonetheless. Here, I think, Nev Fountain manages a near perfect mix between the humour and the drama. In fact, this book is more serious than the other Mervyn Stone stories, and is actually all the more better for it. It’s still quite funny, and will also prove to be an interesting insight into the making of DVD commentaries. My only real complaint about the plot is that it took me a while to follow the mystery, although it has a good conclusion.

Mervyn Stone is, as always, a good protagonist, dropped in the deep end and having many FML moments. Indeed, due to his interaction with Cheryl, we’re given a far more personal insight into the character than ever before. Mick is a strange but ultimately intriguing character, and indeed, most of the more prominent characters, with the exception of Lewis Bream, are interesting to one stripe or another.

Overall, I considered this Mervyn Stone story, while not actually perfect, to be the best of the whole lot. Good on you, Nev Fountain.


****½

FIRST WORDS: Vixens from the Void stays with you.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 33

The Invisibles, volume 6: Kissing Mister Quimper by Grant Morrison et al

As the story of The Invisibles approaches its conclusion, I find myself bemused at the variability of the story. But something in it has had me stick with the series to the end, and I have now come to the penultimate volume. But the last couple of volumes disappointed. Could the sixth stop this trend?

There is dissent in the Invisibles, even as they try to relax in New Orleans. Boy, in the wake of her traumatic deprogramming, is considering leaving the Invisibles. King Mob is rethinking his violent tendencies. And Ragged Robin, their current leader, is slowly but surely being taken over by the mysterious Mister Quimper. Soon, this fact will lead the Invisibles on a quest that will take them once more to Dulce in New Mexico, a quest that might end with them all being in the hands of the enemy…

While not quite at the high water mark provided by the third volume, this volume does manage to get back up to a strong level. The story about Quimper is resolved, and we get some lovely characterisation. It’s just a shame that some parts, especially with all the jumping around times, do get somewhat on the confusing side, not to mention all parts of the caper in this volume.

We have quite a lot of character development here. We have some insight into the pasts of Quimper and Lord Fanny, with a bizarre link between them, while Ragged Robin gets some for her struggles with Quimper. King Mob gets some for struggling with his morality, and has an interesting revelation towards the end of the volume.

The Invisibles managed to claw its way back up to a high standard of story with its sixth volume. And it’s got me all excited for the big finale…


****

FIRST WORDS: Go ahead, Sir Miles.

LAST WORDS: This is what it feels like.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 34

The Superman Files by Matthew K Manning

Of all the superheroes of the world, the most famous is Superman. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, he is also perhaps the oldest superhero to still have a major following. But due to the nature of comic book storylines and the inevitable continuity clashes and retcons throughout the years, no history of the character can be considered definitive. And yet, someone has tried…

In the year 3013, Querl Dox, aka Brainiac 5, a one-time ally and friend of Superman’s, sits down to write a history of the famous hero. It’s a daunting task, partly due to many events that had rewritten history. But from the history of Krypton, to Clark Kent’s childhood, all the way to the events of Flashpoint, and beyond, an attempt at chronicling the life and times of Superman is made…

One has to admire the actual author of the work, Matthew K Manning, for the way he does manage to meld many of the disparate continuities, and make it one seamless whole. This is no mean feat, considering how ridiculously convoluted and contradictory the Man of Steel’s story has become over the years, and I have to confess to enjoying myself somewhat, despite my not being a Superman fan. The pictures are glossy, the files and commentary are quite good, and it was enjoyable all around.

However, like so many of its kind, this book is a triumph of style over substance, and indeed, there is far less substance than usual. Perhaps this is because it was too monumental a task to go into every single detail of Superman’s battles, but I felt slightly shortchanged by the story part of this book. Which is a shame, really.

Overall, The Superman Files was an enjoyable look into the life and times of the most famous superhero of all time. I just wish there was considerably more meat on the bones…

***½

FIRST WORDS: A Superman once walked among us.

LAST WORDS: Braniac 5.